A Lovely Peacock Blue Bridal Shower

Sometimes you have to take a moment to honor style—and this bride has it in spades. At first, you’re smitten with the floaty tulle skirt of her dress, accented with vibrant peacock feathers…and then she turns around and you’re like oooohh, lace back with buttons! And though her cobalt blue suede pumps might threaten to steal the show, it’s bride Rekha’s absolutely radiant energy that makes these snaps by Kimberly Photography so special. In every photo you see beaming faces—in fact, the theme of the shower could be love. Well, love and peacock feathers, of course. The vibrant blues, greens and purples used throughout the decor give an almost royal vibe to this beachfront shower in sunny Brandenton, FL.

Photography: Kimberly Photography | Gown: Olga’s Bridal | Hair and Makeup: Jessica Harjani with Michele Renee the Studio | Cake: Cakes by Ron

A Belly Dancing Hen Night in Zurich

Engaged and pregnant? Don’t skip your bachelorette night! The bachelorette party is about celebrating friendships and that certainly doesn’t require alcohol. Pregnant bride Justyna’s friends organized a surprise hen night for her, and asked photographer Nadine Jayaraj to tag along. After a quick photo session with the bride, the ladies headed to a belly dancing class (what a perfect way for pregnant Justyna to get in touch with her belly and what’s inside!). The group ended the night with dinner at Zurich’s Maison Blunt and toasted the bride with a touching video tribute. I’m so inspired by Justyna’s choice to celebrate and fully embrace two life-changing experiences at once—marriage and the arrival of her baby!

Photographer: Nadine Jayaraj | Belly Dance Instructor: Julie | Restaurant: Maison Blunt

An Urban Chic Same-Sex Bridal Shower

I cannot tell you how long I’ve been looking for a same-sex bridal shower to feature here. I try to show all different kinds of parties and people, so finding a shower for two brides has been on my list for some time. So when this gorgeous styled shoot by Laura Dee Photography hit my inbox, I maybe freaked out a litttttle bit. Inspired by the idea that “Carrie Bradshaw fell in love with Charlotte York,” this shower is a dream come true of urban chic styling with pops of color and plenty of fun. Just check out the stylish ombre pink and purple hair, stunning jewelry from TheNOTCH, moonshine mixology bar by Onyx and the one-eyed pug named Tater Tot. But what really stopped me in my tracks? The stunning portraits of the couple sharing a few quiet moments together. So perfect and sweet.

In terms of the etiquette behind throwing a gay wedding shower, the “rules” are still very fluid (i.e., who needs rules?). Many gay couples may choose to have a joint couples shower and may even celebrate their bachelorette party together. Others will want separate parties, especially if they have different groups of close friends or family in far-flung parts of the country. Follow the brides’ leads—they will discuss what they want and then share the plan with their bridesmaids and friends.

Our Favorite Etsy “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” Cards

It’s no secret that we spend a lot of time on Etsy. What’s not to love about a marketplace that promotes creative makers and artists? In addition to finding something beautiful and unique, you can feel good that you’re supporting a small business, many of which are female owned. Here, some of our favorite “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” cards recently spotted on Etsy.

Don’t you just love a card that tells it like it is? The cute illustration and cheeky message on this card from Julie Ann Art will bring a smile to your future maids’ faces.

Add an element of surprise with this scratch-off card from Inklings Paperie. The metallic gold pops (excuse the pun) against the soft petal pink and the dainty illustration is so sweet.

We’ve become a little bit obsessed with gemstones as of late. (Have you seen our You’re a Gem party inspiration board? It’s perfect for a bridesmaid ask party.) So it’s no surprise we heart these gemstone-dotted cards from WildHeart Paper. (And similar here.)

Allie Ruth Designs had been printing vintage hankies with “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” for awhile, but discovered that women had trouble incorporating the pretty linens into their everyday life with the bridesmaid message. Problem solved with this hand lettered kraft envelope containing a delicate heirloom handkerchief. Feel free to stuff in a few more surprises as well. (Update: This shop seems to have closed! Find similar designs here and here.)

Because honesty matters, we adore this card from Patterson Paper. Just don’t fall pretty to these overdone Pinterest-inspired bridesmaid poses!

A London Garden Tea Party Shower

Bright colors, a pretty garden setting, lots of laughter, a candy-covered cake…what’s not to love about this thoroughly modern London tea party shower, captured by Ronnie and Rose Photography? The formal table set in the vibrant green back garden gave the occasion a Mad Hatter feel, as the ladies enjoyed tea and cake and mugged it up a bit with tiny hats and neon sunglasses. And though the toilet paper wedding dress tradition can be a bit silly, sometimes silliness must be embraced! Bride Nicky and her friends took paper fashion to a whole new level, creating flowy designs to model on their makeshift runway.

Bridal Shower & Bachelorette Game: What’s in Your Cell Phone?

I have to admit that I’m totally guilty of spending way too much time on my cell phone. When I go on vacation, I intentionally “cell phone detox,” which means no email, no social media, no texting—and it’s awesome. That said, why not put all our obsessive Instagramming to good use? I’ve updated the traditional “What’s in your purse” bridal shower game for the smartphone generation. Ultimate Bridesmaid presents the What’s in Your Cell Phone game

I’ve created two free printable games for you. One is appropriate for a bridal shower with mixed age groups (i.e., even your mom should be able to play). The second one is designed for a bachelorette party, with questions geared toward the younger crowd that include a few racier requests. I’ve also give you the full list of questions after the jump in case you want to select the questions that you like most and create your own printout.

Don’t just pass out the sheets and let people fill in their scores though. Have the host read each question aloud and then ask guests to share their answers when appropriate. Guests can use their sheet to record their score, but make sure you keep everyone engaged and talking. Share the photos you have to hunt down, make them admit if they have Candy Crush and find out who scores the highest on rounds that award multiple points.

Make sure to download the PDF versions from the links below for the best printing results:

Bridal Shower What’s in Your Cell Phone Game

Bachelorette What’s in Your Cell Phone Game

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Camping Bachelorette Inspiration Board

Inspired by this Hiking Hen Party in Andalusian Spain, I decided it was long past time to put together an inspiration board for one of my favorite bachelorette themes: camping (strangely almost always referred to as “glamping” in connection to a bachelorette party, no matter how glamorous or otherwise the accommodations). Whether you set out in a cool vintage trailer, pitch a tent or rent a rustic mountain cabin (like this renovated barn in upstate New York that I am seriously dying to stay in, hint hint friends and relatives), getting back to nature with your girlfriends is a relaxing escape from wedding planning and a time to recharge and reconnect. I’m slightly obsessed with this “coffee, mountains & cabins” sweatshirt (a perfect gift for the bride-to-be) and P.F. Candle Co.’s campfire-scented candle (send one home with each of your guests to remind them of your woodland retreat). Dress up the campfire area with these DIY floral camp chairs and a flower campfire mandala, and spend time cooking, sharing stories and secrets and stargazing around the fire. Find more ideas on our Camping Bachelorette Party Pinterest board.
From top to bottom, left to right: Cabin sweatshirt, vintage trailer, candle, breakfast, camp cooking, the barn, campfire drinks, mugs

Ultimate Bridesmaid

The bridesmaid blog for bridal shower and bachelorette party inspiration, bridesmaid duties, party games, fashion, favors and more

A Lovely Peacock Blue Bridal Shower

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A Belly Dancing Hen Night in Zurich

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An Urban Chic Same-Sex Bridal Shower

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Our Favorite Etsy “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” Cards

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A London Garden Tea Party Shower

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Bridal Shower & Bachelorette Game: What’s in Your Cell Phone?

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Camping Bachelorette Inspiration Board

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